“I saw a black figure up there and I said ‘What the heck is that,’ ” Kopchak said. These animals were tranquilized and sent to the Columbus Zoo. Alth… If he went out earlier, it could have been a long time before anyone else saw the animals and called authorities, and more of Thompson’s lions, tigers, bears, wolves and other animals probably would have escaped from the area, said Muskingum Sheriff Matt Lutz. On October 18, 2011, dozens of exotic animals were released from their enclosures. “We couldn’t let the animals escape off that farm and hurt someone.”. ; Please sign and date your posts by typing four tildes ( ~~~~). [12], "Exotic Animals Endured Abuse, Neglect at Ohio farm, Documents Say", "Sheriff: 56 Exotic Animals Escaped from Farm near Zanesville; 49 killed by Authorities", "Ohio Sheriff: Only One Monkey Remains Missing", "Ohio Farmer Spoke of Troubles Before Freeing Exotic Animals", "Ohio Governor to Sign Order on 'Dangerous Animals, "Bears, Tigers, Lions and Wolves Escape from Ohio Zoo", "Leopard from Exotic Animal Farm Dies in Ohio Zoo", "Exotic Animal Owner Terry Thompson: What Happened? “I still get about half teared up over that. Kopchak said he doesn’t get many calls about the incident anymore. It was always one of Blake’s favorites, that is, until Oct. 18, 2011. [3] Owner Terry Thompson allegedly set free 50 of his 56 exotic animals before shooting himself in the head. This video takes you through what happened before, during and after the tragic animal mystery in Zanesville, Ohio. Killing scores of exotic animals after they were set free from a farm in Zanesville, Ohio on Tuesday night was the right thing to do, according to Director Emeritus of Columbus Zoo Jack Hanna. In Last Podcast On The Left ← Air and Land Animals Episode 486: Volunteerism is Resistance → Latest Posts. In Zanesville, Ohio, Terry Thompson committed suicide Tuesday after opening the cages of dozens of lions, tigers and other beasts at his exotic animal preserve, forcing sheriff's deputies to kill nearly 50 escaped animals. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. What We Can Do (As A Community) Start a petition to ban more dangerous exotic pets (if they are legal). The Muskingum County animal farm had been repeatedly reported for inadequate and unsafe housing for the animals, as well as insufficient water and food. : Put new text under old text. ", "Heidi Klum Session Used Animal from Ohio Farm", "Jack Hanna on Zanesville, Ohio, Animals: 'We Would Have Had Carnage, "America's Animal Hoarder: Horror at the Zoo", "Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness | Netflix Official Site", "18 Tigers, 17 Lions, 8 Bears, 3 Cougars, 2 Wolves, 1 Baboon, 1 Macaque, and 1 Man Dead in Ohio", "Animals: The Horrific True Story of the Zanesville Zoo Massacre", "Exotic Animals: 18 Tiger Deaths a Cruel Blow to Imperiled Species", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2011_Zanesville,_Ohio_animal_escape&oldid=986773158, Animals shot dead by law enforcement officers in the United States, Articles with dead external links from June 2019, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 2 November 2020, at 22:41. Zanesville, Ohio — Dozens of animals escaped from a wild-animal preserve that houses bears, big cats and other beasts, and the owner later was found dead there, said police, who shot several of the animals and urged nearby residents to stay indoors. The real estate listing makes no mention of the animals once kept on the grounds and throughout the 3,728-square-foot home, which features an in-ground pool, game room and bucolic views. Few seemed anxious to talk about it, but many of those who were there will talk, and talk, about that night once asked. Zanesville, Ohio: Hunt for Escaped Exotic Animals - YouTube 50 animals were shot and killed by police during what would become known as the Zanesville Animal Massacre. Zoo Escape. And then Kopchak saw the lion along his fence line. For Jack Hanna, director emeritus of the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium, it was the warning signs as he rushed to the scene from an event in Pennsylvania. Deputies attempted to use the plastic fasteners carried as hand cuffs to secure a piece of fencing over the opening so the animal would not have to be harmed, he said. However, sometimes nature takes its course, or a terrible accident occurs. Kopchak went out at 4:40 p.m. What would have happened if he went out five minutes later? Terry Thompson, the owner of Muskingum County Animal Farm in Ohio, set free the animals before committing suicide, the Associated Press reports. Lutz has never had any regrets about giving the order for the loose animals to be killed, he said. The Thompson house has been put up for sale by Terry Thompson’s widow, Marian, who could not be reached for this story despite calls to relatives and a note left at the home. Ask questions, get answers Which Was Worse: This Massive Crocodile Escape or Zanesville ? Zanesville, Ohio: Hunt for Escaped Exotic Animals. “I picture the horses running in a circle, I picture the lion,” said Kopchak, who came face-to-face with an African lion standing just outside his pasture. “We go to different trainings and things of that nature, and we end up having to introduce ourselves and someone says ‘hey that’s where those animals were!,' ” said Ryan Williams, a sheriff’s deputy who served on the special response team that patrolled the property killing the animals. “He was huge.”. October 18, 2011 - Zanesville, OH - A backyard zoo owner freed his animals and then shot himself in the head. In 1977, Terry Thompson bought a tiger cub named Simba for his wife; it was the beginning of the end. [11], The Netflix documentary Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness references the event in Episode 1 of Season 1. “All I can tell them is it had to be done,” he said. [6] One of the surviving leopards was subsequently injured in an accident at the zoo and was euthanized. ZANESVILLE, Ohio––Six years after exotic animal collector Terry Thompson, ... two wolves, and a baboon, 46 of the 56 escaped animals in all, because he believed that the circumstances under which they were running loose––including a failed attempt to shut some of them back in their breached cages––left no other options. “If they hadn’t gotten to those animals immediately, there would have been a loss of human life, it would have happened.”. ; New to Wikipedia? Zoos: not exactly where you want to see wild animals behaving badly. “To see the head and shoulders coming out of that hole with us being within two to three feet is an image I’m not going to forget,” he said. “It was a terrible thing, but you have to say the good Lord was with everybody,” Hanna said. Hanna, who gives as many as 50 talks a year on animals, said he is still regularly asked about the animal escape — and the shooting of the animals. It just reminds me of that. ZANESVILLE, Ohio — For Steve Blake it’s a first-grade school photograph of his son from decades ago. Relaxed Fit: Lead Masks Case / Zanesville Zoo. That was the day Blake helped with the killing of 48 exotic animals at the Terry Thompson farm in Zanesville, Ohio — about 55 miles east of Columbus, Ohio — driving a truck full of police officers who were shooting the animals. Sheriff Matt Lutz and wildlife expert Jack Hanna on the situation in Ohio Police have shot and killed dozens of exotic animals that escaped from a private zoo in Zanesville, Ohio. And they’ve been asked to talk about it — a lot. Owner of exotic animal farm in Ohio sets animals loose, then kills himself. “Any time you know about something in your county that is a thorn in your side, you should do what you can to pull it out,” Lutz said. But the first person to know something was awry was Kopchak, a retired teacher tending to a horse he bought nine days earlier. [5] One is to make every effort to address a potential issue, such as Thompson’s private zoo, before something gets out of hand, he said. Lions, tigers, bears, and wolves were among the animals that escaped and were hunted by local law enforcement out of fear for public safety. Mike DeWine to discuss extending statewide curfew amid COVID-19 surge, Ohio Gov. Six animals -- a grizzly bear, three leopards and two monkeys -- were captured alive and taken to the Columbus Zoo and… [9], Jack Hanna, TV wildlife expert and Director Emeritus of the Columbus Zoo, lamented the killings but deemed the police actions necessary. The Strange, Sordid Tale Of The Zanesville Zoo Escape. ZANESVILLE, Ohio — Sheriff's deputies shot nearly 50 wild animals — including 18 rare Bengal tigers and 17 lions — in a big-game hunt across the state's countryside Wednesday after the owner of an exotic-animal park threw their cages open and committed suicide in what may have been one last act of spite against his neighbors and police. In retrospect, Lutz said he wishes state officials would have instituted effective exotic animal regulations sooner. But his friends still often greet him the way they have for the past five years, he said. [7], Terry Thompson, a Vietnam War veteran, was a lifelong collector of exotic animals. Six -- three leopards, a grizzly bear and two monkeys -- were captured and taken to the Columbus Zoo. Heavily armed cops hunted down the few remaining wild animals that terrorized an Ohio town after they were let loose by the suicidal owner of an animal preserve. Reposted from ABCnews.com. 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